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Why Are Annuities Considered an Insurance Product?
Annuities are financial vehicles that can be sold only by insurance companies. Basically, an annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company, which promises to pay you a future income in exchange…
Bridging the Gap Between Retirement and Medicare Eligibility
Almost seven out of 10 retirees left the workforce before reaching the Medicare eligibility age of 65. Most current workers expect to retire at 65 or later, but retirees’ experiences suggest this may not…
How Are Growth and Value Stocks Different?
Investors are often confused about the differences between growth stocks and value stocks. The main way in which they differ is not in how they are bought and sold, nor is it how much…
Market Commentary – 12.26.14 The Case for Active Management and Diversification In the beginning of the year, global economic growth appeared on the mend, unemployment was stabilizing, and the markets weighed the impact of…
The benchmark S&P 500 Index surged 4.6% in October for its best monthly gain since July and is on pace for its highest annual performance in a decade. Equities were supported by a cooperative…
Seven Classic Investing Quotes
Investing can be daunting, whether you are experienced or a beginner. Even if you feel confident about your investing strategy, it can be easy to lose focus or make decisions based on emotion. Here…
Market Commentary – 3.3.15 Europe: Third Time’s a Charm? Year-to-date, European stocks have outperformed U.S. equities by a significant margin. This outperformance has led investors to wonder, after years of false starts, whether or…
Market Commentary – 9.19.2014 We Suspect Even Sir William Wallace Would Have Voted “No” Late in the 13th century, Scottish landowner, Sir William Wallace, was one of the main leaders during the Wars of…
Market Commentary – 3.11.15 March Madness in International Markets Around the world, March often brings with it inflection points, a changing of seasons, and a variety of momentous events. Every March across the U.S.,…
Considering Preferreds? Proceed with Caution
Preferred stocks may appeal to investors looking for a robust income stream, but they come with heightened risks during a period of rising interest rates. If you’re considering or already own preferred shares, here…
Succession Plans Often Hinge on Reliable Valuation
The “fair market value” of a business is a price that is acceptable to a willing buyer and seller, neither of whom is under any compulsion to complete the transaction, and with both parties…
2013 Fourth Quarter Market Outlook
2013 Fourth Quarter Market Outlook A Turning Point in the Markets? It seems sometimes that the outlook for the global economy and the markets has been unchanged for years. Each year since the end…
Market Commentary – 12.19.14 Turning Our Attention to 2015 Six years after the 2008 financial crisis, the world is still struggling to return to normal. Extraordinary monetary stimulus is still needed to support growth…
What Are the Costs of the Government Shutdown?
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended after 35 days on January 25, 2019. A temporary appropriations bill extended funding for all shuttered federal agencies to February 15, 2019, while a bipartisan committee…
Consider a Customized Disability Policy
If you are in good health, disability insurance may not be high on your list of financial priorities. But the statistics might surprise you. A 50-year-old has a 36% chance of experiencing at least…
Preparing for retirement can be daunting, but like any challenge it helps to take a hard look at some real data. Yet only 29% of workers or their spouses have tried to estimate their…
Market Commentary – 4.16.14 Finding Tomorrow’s Mustangs In 1965, shortly following its 1964 launch, Ford parked a white Mustang on the roof of the Empire State Building to promote the model which would go…
What tax deductions are still available to me?
Tax reform measures are enacted frequently by Congress, which makes it hard for U.S. taxpayers to know which deductions are currently available to help lower their tax liability.
An Affordable Insurance Solution
Many people allow their term life insurance policies to expire once their children are grown. This may not be a good idea, especially if you have other bills and your spouse would need continued…
Monthly Market Monitor – April 2014 Recap Market Indices1 April Year-to-Date S&P 500 0.74% 2.56% Russell 3000 0.12% 2.10% MSCI EAFE 1.45% 2.12% MSCI Emerging Markets 0.33% -0.10% Barclays US Aggregate Bond 0.84% 2.70%…
January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was portrayed as having two faces: one looking backward, the other looking forward. In a similar manner, economists like to look in both directions to…
Market Commentary 5.1.14 Rhyme and Reason for the Month of May A number of websites declare May, among other things, National Bike Month, National Barbeque Month, National Hamburger Month, National Salad Month, and National…
Need to Tap Your 401(k)? Proceed with Care
Everyone faces challenges, and some challenges require more cash than you have readily available. If you find yourself in that position, you might eye your 401(k) balance and consider using those funds to meet…
Competing Goals: Pay Off Student Loans or Save for Retirement?
Many college graduates face a tough decision early in their working lives: pay off student loans or save for retirement. It’s a financial tug of war between digging out from debt today and saving…
If you leave a job or retire, you might want to transfer the money you’ve invested in one or more employer-sponsored retirement plans to an individual retirement account (IRA). An IRA rollover is an…